My 3D printers and why they are at the space.browsing

I brought my 3D printers to the Makerspace to possibly give a workshop on 3d printing and for others to use. the reason they are taped off at the moment is that I do not want someone to crash my 3D printers or Damage my bed surface till I can show others how they work.
because unlike the Prusa it is very easy to start a print with the nozzle too low or too high and get my extruders all sticky.

Also the news is coming by next friday and I would like to make that space look a little tidier with more than just @sireataloteBroken 3D printer and a mess of filament. Speaking of which I Plan to do a 3D scan of the camera operator’s and maybe some of the news team while at the Makerspace, That might give interest to getting scanned at the Makerspace and for others to join and see what we do first hand

We had a kind-of badge-system in place at least with the laser cutter: no badge = no lasering (go get someone with a badge to assist you). You get a badge for completing a 101 course. I’ve even written a forum plugin to see who has what badge, but it was never incorporated into production version of our forum, so I might say it’s still in the testing (~6 months).
Maybe we should have a badge-only access to the 3d printers too – maybe at least to the ones without a automatic crash prevention (so pretty much every one but orange prusa). It’s not that draconic since most of people who have no 3d printer experience would get someone to help them anyways and people who are willing to learn – would appreciate a workshop (and a badge? More badges = more better!). This is a (somewhat) expensive piece of fragile machinery and not knowing how to handle it results in a crash.

@toxuin, great idea. I think we need to develop badge training for a bunch of things that we don’t currently. I would even suggest that the entire woodshop should be off limits without a basic 101 and badge. Basic functionality (not breaking tools), and safety are the big ones that come with the laser badge, which also applies to 3d printers and woodshop, but nearly as important are things like workflow in the shop (how to make life easy for yourself and stay out of the way), storage of projects/materials, proper cleanup procedures, procedures for reporting problems, etc. etc. etc.

I am sure this applies in basic principle to other shops/spaces as well. This would take some up front work to put in place, and people would resist the change initially. In the long run it would go a long way to improve safety, and to make the shops more useable. As more people got trained up on stuff (for simpler badges), we could even have a checklist for different things that a badge-holder could go over with a newbie to do an on-the-spot badge training for different things.

It is my understandering that original idea behind the physical badges was that at least part of them would be made using the machine the 101 is on. That way it doubles as proof that you understand how to use the machine/tool in question. I like this idea, but may prove impractical for some machines.

Some of it is practical and some of it is not practical. Some of it is for fun also. I havent created a badge for magic blue smoke yet. Or anything else for electronics. I am sure when they have more time they will add it on the forum. I find it as an interesting way to show skill set of members. When we do have a section on the forum I am sure it might be useful for new people to see whom is qualified to run equipment, and have other skills. Such as. I know how to use a sewing machine and I know how to sew poorly. lolz So I find the physical badges are mostly for collection items, but also at the same time you can show it off as proof of certification. I am sure far in the future when we have more members. We all will have key fobs to use machines…

I don’t think it’ll even be an issue, the idea of having machines which require proof of training to operate solo has been on the table since the very earliest days and I’ve never seen anyone argue against it when it has come up. One of the very few places where this place is not a matter of herding cats is the agreement that we should attempt to keep the membership in the magic red fluid club to a minimum. And many of the tools in the space are downright dangerous to the operator and bystanders if you don’t understand the physics involved or have a moment of inattention. (kick back, up vs down cutting, broken bits, failure to secure the workpiece, throwing teeth off a saw blade, crashing a CNC tool, touching the moving sanding belt, punching a metal spike with your fist, etc…) Just the nature of the beast… if it’ll chop a 4x6 in half in two seconds, or plow a slot an inch deep in steel, it’ll probably mangle your delicate phalanges in short order.